Puffin Books and Man Met share the magic of reading in the middle of a pandemic
- Puffin Books donate 1,000 books to annual book festival impacted by Covid-19
- Partnership provides necessary learning materials for children following closure of schools during lockdown
- Manchester Children's Book Festival hosted by MMU for 10th year running despite pandemic
Puffin Books has stepped in to support a children’s literary festival during the coronavirus pandemic by donating 1,000 books to the event’s ‘Big Book Giveaway of 2020’.
A partnership between Manchester Children’s Book Festival and Puffin resulted in children having access to a range of materials, supplies and books.
The aim of the festival, devised by poet Carol Ann Duffy, is to promote reading among younger children and to bring them closer with their families. However, the outbreak of coronavirus put a halt to the event’s usual run of activities, including projects, workshops and competitions.
The collaboration came about after the country went into in lockdown in March – including the closure of all schools, colleges and universities. During this time, not all families were able to have access to the learning materials at home.
This year the festival was set to expand its academic outlook by getting more institutions involved, after MCBF was successfully trialled in a number of primary schools in Longsight last year.
Manchester Children’s Book Festival involves some of the top authors in the industry. Hosted by Manchester Metropolitan Univerity, it became a year-long run of activities and workshops when joined by partner organisations in 2014.
